1
as in hopeless
emphasizing or expecting the worst
despairing predictions regarding the effects of global overpopulation
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in desperate
feeling or showing no hope
despairing applicants need to be reminded that most students are eventually accepted somewhere
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in grieving
to lose all hope or confidence
we despaired when we saw how little time we had left to complete our project
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of despairing
Kristin Auble, Vogue, 31 Dec. 2024
To shine a beacon of hope to other despairing software engineers out in the raging seas of enormous code, Hubert wrote an example application, called Trifecta, which supports image sharing online.
—IEEE Spectrum, 26 Dec. 2024
Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 19 Oct. 2024
Meme-makers across America are despairing right now.
—Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for despairing
Adjective
There’s no shortage of things to feel negative, overwhelmed, despairing about.
—Kristin Auble, Vogue, 31 Dec. 2024
To shine a beacon of hope to other despairing software engineers out in the raging seas of enormous code, Hubert wrote an example application, called Trifecta, which supports image sharing online.
—IEEE Spectrum, 26 Dec. 2024
Verb
These are the people who, despairing of finding their way out honestly, simply smash and bash their way through the corn willy-nilly.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 19 Oct. 2024
Meme-makers across America are despairing right now.
—Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for despairing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for despairing
Adjective
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The dance begin and the people are hopeless, bumping into one another but totally enjoying the experience.—
Anthony DeMarco,
Forbes,
2 Mar. 2025
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The 60-year-old actress — who has famously portrayed hopeless romantic Charlotte York on the SATC franchise since 1998 — got candid about her brief romance with Alec Baldwin on a recent episode of Rob Lowe's Literally!—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
28 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Balance enthusiasm with professionalism by showing energy without appearing desperate or overconfident.—
Caroline Castrillon,
Forbes,
2 Mar. 2025
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And the people waiting for him, desperate to have a leaking tap fixed.—
Colm Tóibín,
The New Yorker,
2 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The Christmas Eve shooting also devastated the still-grieving Oxford community, where a teenage gunman went on a rampage at Oxford High School in November 2021, killing four classmates and seven others, including a teacher.—
Tresa Baldas,
Detroit Free Press,
29 Dec. 2024
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Ward, 28, missed four games while grieving her death.—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
29 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Some who do have a cynical view — asking what good was it for people to risk that bridge crossing for Black freedom when young Black people are killing one another in Selma today?—
Marisa Peñaloza,
NPR,
9 Mar. 2025
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The cynical Pia is not interested but agrees to her family setting her up on five blind dates, but with her sister's wedding looming and her high school sweetheart serving as best man to the groom, chaos is right around the corner.—
William Lambers,
Newsweek,
7 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The Penguins listed Bunting as a healthy scratch early this season because coaches were unhappy with his effort in games and practices.—
Josh Yohe,
The Athletic,
6 Mar. 2025
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Independent distributors are unhappy with the growing percentage of royalty payments for their artists that are too low to be worth processing.—
Bill Rosenblatt,
Forbes,
6 Mar. 2025
Verb
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San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy left the team's 40-34 Monday Night Football loss to the Detroit Lions after suffering an apparent arm injury late in the fourth quarter.—
George Monastiriakos,
Newsweek,
31 Dec. 2024
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The Red Devils are still suffering from the same old problems.—
Graham Ruthven,
Forbes,
31 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Police sad officers began providing aid to Mitchell, but medics later pronounced him dead at the scene.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacramento Bee,
4 Mar. 2025
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Oklahoma represents the sad conclusion of the Trail of Tears, and Tulsa serves as the meeting point for tribal nations—the Osage, Muscogee, and Cherokee.—
Nicholas Lalla,
WIRED,
4 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Despite Edward’s mother still in mourning after the death of her husband Prince Albert, the young couple ushered in contemporary art, opulent balls and society events, which King George V and Queen Mary took charge of successfully.—
Hikmat Mohammed,
WWD,
6 Jan. 2025
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Many people responded not by mourning Thompson, but by blaming UnitedHealthcare and other insurers for failing to pay for essential medical treatments.—
Jay Feinman,
The Conversation,
6 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Despairing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/despairing. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
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